Tigmanshu Dhulia on why Bullett Raja failed at BO

Director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Bullett Raja didn’t do well at the box office. And Dhulia thinks his own image may have led to the film’s disappointing performance. “I am a victim of my own image, because people expect the same thing from me. But I am an artist, I also want to dabble in different genres of cinema,” he says.

He is now looking at getting together Begum Samru, what he calls “a dream project”. However, casting is a problem right now. “Because it (film) deals with exposure and sex, our heroines are not very comfortable with it. They are not comfortable to expose,” he adds, “I want to get a studio involved, that’ll give me the liberty to cast anyone. The pressure to cast an A-lister won’t bother.”

Another of his films, Milan Talkies, is facing a ‘casting’ crisis. “Milan talkies is a dark love story. And for the first time, I will attempt a love story. The script is very interesting, main agar script ko hi ticket laga ke bech dun toh bik jaayega,” he says, adding, “Varun (Dhawan), liked the script but he is overcommitted. So, I don’t know. I might make it with anyone, because I have so much faith in the film. It’ll run on its own merit, not on the star’s merit.”

Dhulia, who has acted in Gangs of Wasseypur and Shahid, will now be seen in a telly show. “I am doing a TV show with Mr. Bachchan. I am doing that only for Amitabh Bachchan. It’s an honour to share the screen space with him.”

Since he has worked with two Khans (Saif Ali Khan and Irrfan Khan), does he have plans to work with other Khans too? “Kyun unke saath agar film nahi banaunga toh main acclaimed filmmaker nahi banunga kya?” asks Dhulia.